Okay, here we go! The sequel to Just friends. The update may be a little slow, seeing as I'm participating in Ladrien June, but I'll try to update once a week. This chapter is on the shorter ise, seeing as it's basically a little catch up to where they are now, and the set up for things to come. Hope you enjoy! Reviews bring me life!
"Where in the world is she?"
Marinette combed through her home, still hard in her search for over an hour of just one person. But no matter how many rooms she went over— only five rooms, minus the art studio and two baths— Marinette couldn't find who she was looking for. She was beginning to worry.
Adrien, who had been in the kitchen for the past five minutes, preparing some delicious smelling dinner for the big celebration of his wife's big promotion at her fashion company, finally took notice more of her frantic search. "Still can't find her, sweet tooth?"
Adrien had taken a job as a substitute science teacher at the university in the city, eventually, he planned to go full time, but at the moment with how busy their lives were in general, he figured he'd wait a bit longer.
Six years of marriage and he was still calling her that. And it still made her heart swell.
She paused and sighed. "Nope. I've been looking for the past thirty minutes, and still no sign of her."
Adrien chuckled, but was about to speak, when the front door was flung opened, showing Chloe standing in the threshold with several bags weighing on her arms. "Agreste." It wasn't as fun as saying Dupain-Cheng, but the blond always found a way to use her last name in fun. "Do you think you could give me a hand? That stupid cat of a husband of yours had me picked up so many groceries, I thought I was gonna have to make a second trip to the store."
Chloe had changed a lot over the years. At twenty five years of age, she had grown, and matured. She was considered a part of the family, and the two actually thought of each other as sisters— that was something Marinette never that she'd have with Chloe Busious.
But hey, some miraculous things always seemed to happen to them.
With her search forgotten for just a moment, she strode over to the woman and took some of the load off of her. Just as she settled the bags on the kitchen counter top, Alya and Nino entered, carrying what looked to be a rather large cake with some dessert.
Adrien moved from the stove top over to Nino to take the cake that was starting to wobble in the grown man's arms, and stowed it away in the fridge to be kept cold and eaten after dinner.
Marinette turned attention to Alya as the blogger passed over the ice cream to her own husband of four years. Nino took it with weary hands as he was already balancing other treats in his other arms.
"Alya, have you seen-"
A loud crash in front of her cut her question short as she turned her gaze onto the ice cream that had slipped from Nino's hands. "Ah, crap." He looked sheepishly up at Marinette. "Sorry, Mari. It just kinda slipped."
She sighed, running a hand through her short pixie cut hair. "It's fine."
Before she could say anymore, she heard the telltale sounds of a car pulling up in the drive. Adrien quickly waved her off, telling her that he would help clean up the mess and that she should see if it was the last of their friends had finally arrived.
She smiled, pecking his cheek in thanks as he grabbed a paper towel, and headed out the door. Her mind abuzzed with all the chaos around them.
Today was turning out to be a long one, indeed.
Sure enough, the last of their friends and family had arrived. Her parents had pulled into the connected garage along with Kagami and Luka perfectly parked side by side.
Her parents greeted her first, both so filled with excitement at their daughter's accomplishment. "We're so proud of you, honey! We brought over some treats, a special little congratulations that we whipped up."
Marinette plastered on her best smile. "Ah. Great. More sugar for her to consume." But nevertheless, engulfed her parents in a hug.
Her parents quickly ran off, disappearing into the house, leaving her alone with Luka, Kagami, and little one year old Annie, who was currently glued to her daddy's waist.
She tried to offer a calm smile, but Marinette knew her smile probably looked scattered brain. Her mind had been going a mile a minute all morning. "Hey, guys." She gave both parents a quick hug, and the took Annie for a few minutes— the girl looked pretty split between her parents, with her round baby face, chocolate brown eyes from her mother, and her dark hair that could've been inherited from either one— while Luka received a few things from the car.
More sweets. Yay.
She wasn't sure if the bouncing she was doing was for the toddler, or for her.
Maybe a bit of both.
Kagami eyed her with concern. "Are you okay… you seem… off."
Marinette sighed for what felt like the millionth time that day. "Yeah. I'm just looking for-"
"Have you tried the garden?"
Marinette blinked at the fencer, bouncing ceasing, but Annie didn't seem to mind as she just gripped her godmothers necklace and fiddled with the chain.
Kagami's eyebrow arched. "You didn't think to check, did you? Emilie's probably out with her."
"Have I mentioned how much I love you lately?"
Kagami chuckled, and took back her daughter and made her own way with Luka in tow to the house where the small party was taking place.
Without a second thought, Marinette bolted for the backyard to where the garden was.
Just like Kagami had suggested, Marinette caught a glimpse of two blond heads. One of her mother in law, crouched low in front of a flower bed of roses, with a small, almost carbon copy of a four year old next to her.
Both girls turned as they heard Marinette approach, the little girl's green eyes lighting up instantly at the sight of her. "Mommy!"
Marinette laughed, crouching low to catch the flying force of a small child, hurling all her weight at her mother. Marinette laughed some more at the child's excitement, unable to help herself. She tickled the child with glee. She always did worry a lot about her daughter. "You had me worried, missy."
Marinette brushed some of her blond bangs away from her eyes, reminding herself to give her a bath later that night before bed.
Emma's bright smile didn't waver though. She was so much like her dad. "Sorry, mommy. I wanted to see the flowers and grandma wanted to come out here with me. I even saw a ladybug!"
Marinette gasped in pseudo surprise. "A ladybug!? No way. You can't be serious."
Marinette knew her daughter had a love for Ladybug and Chat Noir and couldn't honestly wait to tell her about their secret identity one day.
Grabbing her daughter, she hitched the young tot on her hip as Emilie came over by them. I'm sorry about not telling you where we were going, Marinette. I should've said something before we headed out the back door."
She easily waved off the older woman. "No worries, Emilie. No harm, no foul. But I think it's time for the party to start! Let's head in."
As her daughter squealed in delight at the idea of sweets, Marinette knew she and Adrien were in for a long night. But if anything from the past five years had taught her something, it was no matter what, they'd braved through it.
The moonlight broke through the windows of his cell as he sat up for his midnight stretches. In the past six years time had moved slowly, yet, Gabriel looked forward to the occasional visits. He had yet to see his granddaughter in anything but photographs, but was amazed to see his wife's beautiful smile passed onto her.
Yet, as he sat in his cell holding onto the photograph, he prayed to any kwami that would be listening to him, that her smile would be the only thing she'd inherent. He knew beyond these walls his darling wife was still out there. Finally free of her entombed slumber.
It broke his heart knowing that sooner or later Adrien would come to realize his mother was not she was in his memories. If only they knew the storm that was coming.
Please let me know your thoughts! Lots of love!
